I mean, every time you buy a used product, you’re giving it a new life and use. And you’re keeping it out of the dumps and oceans. How great is that?

And if you’re a creative shopper, you can grab things for nearly nothing and use them for something totally different than they were intended for.

It’s summer time and the living is easy. Well, I don’t know how easy the living is but summer is here and for me it’s time to hit the flea markets.

Don’t you just love delving into boxes of books and coming up with a book you read when you were a child or finding plates in your mother’s pattern?

I have even found expensive brand clothing with the tag still attached. And my most unique find was a star certificate from https://nameastarlive.com that says I’m the proud owner of a star, how cool is that?

Anyone who hasn’t been to a flea market should try it just once and see what fun it is.

Thrift stores, Yard sales, Flea Markets and Trade Days, could anything be more fun? Not to me. I love to strike out on an early morning to go on a treasure hunt. You never know what you will find hidden in a barrel or a broken down old box shoved under the table.

Don’t be afraid to dig through everything. The best stuff is always at the bottom of the heap or on the junkiest table.

If you can find a Flea Market where people just pull in and dump everything on the ground. You have hit the mother lode. They will usually sell every piece for a quarter or so.

Don’t be afraid to haggle. Go straight to the guy that lays a hard sale on you. These guys are hip to haggling.

In case you get in over your head here’s a few tricks to get you out. Show interest in the item and then walk away. If the guy is desperate, he’ll stop you.

Always have one dollar less than you need to meet his price. If he won’t budge from the full price ask him to throw something else in the deal.

Anything that strikes your fancy is treasure. It might be an item your mother had when you were a child. it might be an old statue you would like to have in your garden. Maybe a tool like your father owned, or it might be a brand new mower.

What someone else deems treasure might be trash to you, but anything that pulls your heart strings is pure gold.

Don’t insult Flea Markets by asking about fleas, and don’t dicker anyone down to a dollar and pull out a hundred dollar bill. Be polite and show your manners.

If you intend to buy, arrive with a pocket full of quarters and dollar bills. Take your time and talk to people. Don’t rush a seller. Dicker with him and let him show you his wares. Take your kids with you and give them a couple of dollars. Kids love Flea Markets.

If you find something you love that is rare, don’t be afraid to pay a good price for it, but don’t be pressured into paying too much when you can find it cheaper.